Dianthus plant named ‘KonD1044K2’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dianthus  plant named ‘KonD1044K2’, characterized by its uniformly mounding and upright to broadly spreading plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; relatively long dark green-colored leaves; freely and remontant flowering habit; relatively large red pink-colored single flowers with purple-colored central ring and white-colored throat; vernalization treatment not required for flowering; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KonD1044K2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant, botanically known as Dianthus hybrida, grown commercially as a container and garden plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘KonD1044K2’.

The new Dianthus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Westerbrok, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new hardy Dianthus plants with remontant flowering habit with good container and garden performance.

The new Dianthus plant originated from a cross-pollination in May, 2009 of a proprietary selection of Dianthus hybrida identified as code number E1408, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Dianthus hybrida identified as code number D900, not patented, as the male, or pollen, plant. The new Dianthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in July, 2010 as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Westerbrok, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dianthus plant by vegetive terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Chicago, Ill. since September, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Dianthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘KonD1044K2’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘KonD1044K2’ as a new and distinct Dianthus plant:

-   -   1. Uniformly mounding and upright to broadly spreading plant         habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   2. Relatively long dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Freely and remontant flowering habit.     -   4. Relatively large red pink-colored single flowers with         purple-colored central ring and white-colored throat.     -   5. No vernalization requirement for flowering.     -   6. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus are more compact than and not as         vigorous as plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus have larger flowers than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have light red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Dianthus can also be compared to plants of Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Kahori’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Dianthus differ primarily from plants of ‘Kahori’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus are more vigorous than plants of         ‘Kahori’.     -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Kahori’.     -   3. Plants of the new Dianthus rebloom more consistently than         plants of ‘Kahori’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dianthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dianthus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KonD1044K2’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘KonD1044K2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements were grown during the winter and spring in one-gallon containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. and under cultural practices typical of commercial container Dianthus production. During the final production phase of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 21° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 16° C. Plants were pinched two times during the propagation phase and were eight months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrida ‘KonD1044K2’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             hybrida identified as code number E1408, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             hybrida identified as code number D900, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures ranging from 20° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About six to seven weeks at temperatures ranging             from 7° C. to 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color, actual             color of the roots dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer, substrate temperature and age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial, typically             grown as a container and garden plant; uniformly mounding,             upright to broadly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 23             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 26             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Branching habit: Freely basal branching             habit with numerous primary lateral stems; each primary             lateral stem with secondary lateral stems potentially             forming at every node. Length, primary lateral stems: About             23 cm. Length, secondary lateral stems: About 10 cm to             15 cm. Diameter, primary lateral stems: Thick, about 4.5 mm.             Diameter, secondary lateral stems: About 2 mm. Internode             length, proximally: About 4.5 cm. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Aspect, primary lateral stems: Mostly upright.             Aspect, secondary lateral stems: About 30° to 40° from             primary lateral stem axis. Cross-section: Round, hollow.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to             N137A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—Relatively long, about 8 cm.         -   Width.—About 9 mm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate; decurrent.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,             glabrous; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; thin             waxy cuticle, close to 189A; venation, close to N137A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N137B; thin waxy             cuticle, close to 189A; venation, close to N137B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form and flowering habit.—Terminal and axillary             single flowers arranged singly or in pairs; freely flowering             habit with numerous flowers developing during the flowering             season; flowers face mostly upright.         -   Natural flowering season.—Consistent remontant flowering             habit from the early spring until the autumn in northern             Illinois; plants do not require a vernalization treatment to             initiate flowering.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; clove-like, sweet.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Oblong; styles slightly extruded. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 146A; towards the             base, close to 144A.         -   Flower diameter.—Relatively large, about 3.4 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 3.3 cm. Width: About 1.9 cm; at             the base, about 1 mm. Shape: Spatulate, fan-shaped. Apex:             Praemorse, rounded. Base: Elongated, tapering to a point.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 61A; towards the apex and             margins, close to NN155C. When opening, lower surface: Close             to NN155C; red purple, close to 61A, showing through from             upper surface. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 61A to             61B; towards the apex and margins, close to NN155D; central             ring, close to N79A; at the base, close to NN155C; throat,             close to NN155C; venation, similar to lamina; under lower             light and temperature conditions, center color is closer to             61D; color does not fade with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to NN155C; red purple, close to 61A to             61B, showing through from upper surface; tube, close to             NN155C; venation, similar to lamina; color does not fade             with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl; proximal 70% portion of the sepals are fused             into a tubular-shaped calyx. Length: About 2 cm. Sepal             width, at base of “free” portion: About 4 mm. Shape: Oblong.             Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, inner             surface: Close to 144A. Color, outer surface: Close to 146A;             towards the base, close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Mostly erect to about             30° from vertical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color: Close to N137A; thin waxy cuticle, close to             189A.         -   Pedicels (when flowers arranged in pairs).—Length: About 3             cm to 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Strong,             flexible and wiry. Aspect: About 30° from the peduncle axis.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to             N137A; thin waxy cuticle, close to 189A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About five to ten             stamens per flower. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament             color: Close to NN155C. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther             shape: Oblong. Anther color: Close to 10D. Pollen: None             observed. Pistils: Quantity: About two per flower. Pistil             length: About 3.1 cm. Stigma shape: Pointed, curled. Stigma             color: Close to NN155C. Style length: About 2 cm. Style             color: Close to NN155C. Ovary shape: Oblong. Ovary texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Ovary color: Close to 145C to 145D. Fruits             and seeds: Fruit and seed development have not been observed             on plants of the new Dianthus to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Dianthus have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dianthus     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dianthus have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 5a to 9a. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘KonD1044K2’ as illustrated and described. 